So, the US presidential election 2020… One thing it really shows, is that the United States are completely politically divided.
Words
- polarization – the fact of people or opinions being divided into two opposing groups
- speechwriter – a person whose job is to write speeches that are given by someone else, for example a politician
- glue – a substance used to stick things tightly together
- compromise – a way of reaching agreement in which each person or group gives up something that was wanted in order to end an argument
- rivals – different people or groups competing with each other for the same thing
- to get sacrificed – to be given up for something else that is seen as more important
- two-party system – a system in which two important political parties dominate the politics in a country
- independents – here: people who don’t belong to a political party
- the constitution – the basic principles and laws of a nation or state (grondwet)
- civil war – a war between groups of people in the same country
- unity – the state of different areas or groups being joined together to form a single country and be in agreement
Assignment
- Why is America so politically divided?
- Which two elements are essential for a well-functioning government?
- What does Dustin Lawson say about the two-party system in the US?
- Did the United States have a two-party system from the beginning?
- In 1864, the Republican president Abraham Lincoln chose a Democrat as vice president. Why?
Extra 1
Listen carefully to Gerald Ford’s words of wisdom. Write them down. Learn them by heart.
Extra 2 (B1)
Watch the video once more.
Which of the following US presidents are mentioned?
George Washington
John Adams
Thomas Jefferson
Andrew Jackson
Martin Van Buren
Abraham Lincoln
Andrew Johnson
Theodore Roosevelt
John F. Kennedy
Richard Nixon
Gerald Ford
Ronald Reagan
Barack Obama
Donald Trump
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